Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.
States are as the men, they grow out of human characters.
The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.
When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.
Only the dead have seen the end of war.
Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand.
Philosophy is the highest music.
The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom.
Attention to health is life’s greatest hindrance.
There is no such thing as a lovers’ oath.
We ought to esteem it of the greatest importance that the fictions which children first hear should be adapted in the most perfect manner to the promotion of virtue.
Know one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good.
How can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?
Hardly any human being is capable of pursuing two professions or two arts rightly.
All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue.
Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.
Life must be lived as play.
Man never legislates, but destinies and accidents, happening in all sorts of ways, legislate in all sorts of ways.
Injustice is censured because the censures are afraid of suffering, and not from any fear which they have of doing injustice.
Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history.